Fast-rising Country newcomer Elizabeth Nichols today lands a gut-punch with the buzzed-about ballad “Daughter,” available now via PULSE Records. Fresh off the June release of her debut EP Tough Love, Nichols delivers another relatable story that serves as candid commentary on life in the modern age. “Daughter” finds the narrator admitting the vulnerable, intrusive thoughts that run across her mind as she sees a guy who broke her heart scot-free happily run off into the sunset with his new love. Warning him that one day he will reap what he sowed in his youth, she envisions his future and that on the day his daughter falls into the same patterns of heartbreak, he will realize just how awful he had been. “Daughter” is a generational echo with a lesson that will linger long after the final chord fades.
The power of the song lies in its no-drama straightforward delivery, indicative of someone who has healed, moved on and has found peace that one day the pain of her past will be understood, as evident with lyrics like “I hate that she will have to be another notch in his belt, but maybe then you’ll finally feel the way I felt.” Written by Nichols, Joybeth Taylor and Jackson Foote, the heart-breaking song has already made waves on socials as people have compared it to early Taylor Swift or Reneé Rapp’s “Tummy Hurts.” The song has also accrued more than 6.8 million views, over 1 million in engagement and thousands of videos created with the sound.
Listen to “Daughter” HERE
“I wrote this song with the notion that no man will truly understand a woman’s hurt until he sees tears in eyes that look like his own, but I’m hoping it triggers a little bit of compassion. It’d make me happy to know this song inspired just one person to be a little more careful with someone’s heart,” shared Elizabeth. “I love writing songs that make people stop and think so the way this song has already sparked so many conversations online has been really cool to see.”
Accompanying the release of “Daughter” comes the official music video for the evocative track. Like the song, the video serves a healthy dose of perspective, in more ways than one. The video features Elizabeth alongside several little girls with matching blonde hair, highlighting the cyclical themes of the song and makes an impact with its impassive delivery.
“Filming the video for ‘Daughter’ was extra special for me because in the Father-Daughter Dance scene (and the cover art) I’m wearing a dress that belonged to my mother– she actually designed it. Being able to honor her, even in such a small way, it really added another layer of meaning to this video for me. I’m proud to call myself her daughter.” added Nichols.
“Daughter” was produced by Jackson Foote, who also produced the chart-topping “I Got A New One,” which received the Kellyoke treatment on The Kelly Clarkson Show and shot to No. 1 on the iTunes Country chart (for weeks). The cover and Nichols’ response captured the internet’s attention and has earned more than 18.5 million streams after she debuted at No. 25 on Billboard’s Emerging Artist Chart and found its way into the Top 45 on Apple’s Today’s Country Playlist as well as Spotify’s Viral Charts in the US, Australian, Norway, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand and landed her as June’s Billboard’s Country Rookie of the Month.
